Johnny's new home
by Silvermoon10123
Summary: Ok, so this is my 1st fanfic so plz be nice about it. When Johnny gets beaten by his abusive parents the gang decides they've had enough. Pony, Soda, and Darry decide to let him stay with them. But what will happen when the gang runs into Johnny's parents on the way to the Dingo? Will Johnny still get a happy ending? Not as bad as it sounds. Complete!


He just stood there while his dad whacked him with a broom. _That's new; _he thought not even wincing at the endless pain shooting from the broom to his body. But although he might not look it Johnny Cade is very strong. His parents may abuse him but the best part of all of this is going to stay with his friends. Johnny hates to be a burden even though his best friend Ponyboy Curtis always insists that it's no trouble when he stays the night.

Johnny feels he will never fit in but his gang of friends apparently don't feel like that. Johnny is the gang's pet after all. The gang takes care of him like a family would take care of a puppy or kitten or something hence the pet status. Johnny doesn't mind though. Sometimes it makes him happy to get all the attention from the gang. Johnny wishes to run away sometimes but running away would mean no more reading with Ponyboy, no more Dallas, and no more fitting in. Plus the small knit tight group of friends would never let him leave.

Soon the beating was over and Johnny felt a sharp pain in his face. He reached up and felt a warm, sticky liquid coming from above his eyebrow. He looked at his father with shock. He always beat him brutally but he never left a big gash like that on him.

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me when I talk to you!" Johnny's old man slurred. He was drunk as usual, and that didn't shock Johnny at all. Johnny's head drooped in shame but then realized as always that it wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault his mom ignored him, it wasn't his fault his parents were drunks, and it surely wasn't his fault that they didn't want or care about him. Johnny bolted out the door as fast as he could without aggravating his ribs which were surely broken from the broom hitting his side endlessly. He started to run to the lot but quickly changed direction for the Curtis' house.

When Johnny got to the Curtis' house he peered in the window he didn't want Pony to see him like that never mind the gang. The entire gang was there as usual. Two-Bit was watching Mickey Mouse and drinking a beer, Soda was playing poker with Steve, Ponyboy was reading a book, Darry was cleaning everything up, Dally was lighting a cigarette. Johnny slowly walked through the door wondering what his friends will think of him. Johnny looked at the floor and tried to ignore the looks he was getting from everyone.

Ponyboy was he first one to get up, "What happened to ya, Johnny?" Everyone was silent waiting for an answer and Darry said, "Hate to tell you Johnny, but you're bleeding all over the floor." Johnny noticed something red on the floor and remembered the gash his old man had given him. He held his hand up to his face and sighed.

"Gee, I'm sorry." Johnny said quietly and then added, "My old man beat me again." Everyone was silent again until Steve spoke everyone's feelings, "I wanna tell his parents what I think bout' em' treatin' Johnnycakes here like that!" Darry disappeared into a bedroom then emerged with a first aid kit. Darry motioned for Johnny to sit down and he did without hesitation because Darry's kinda big."

Pony also left the room and brought out a slice of chocolate cake for Johnny because Johnny looks awful pale and hungry. Pony sat the cake on a table and then plopped down next to Johnny on the couch. Darry cleaned the gash with rubbing alcohol and it turn out the big gash wasn't as big as they thought. In fact it was barely big enough to need stitches. Darry just put a little gauze on it and some medical tape to hold it down. It wasn't very noticeable at all, since it disappeared under his dark black bangs.

Johnny didn't look very bad except the gash, some bruises, and like four broken ribs. Ponyboy picked the cake back up and passed it to Johnny. Johnny looked at it hesitantly then took it. "Aw, where's my cake? Why don't ya ever give me cake?" Steve pouted.

"Cause if he did that you and Two-Bit here would eat us out of the whole dang house." Soda said looking at Steve in a, _shut your trap or no more cake for you, _kind of way. Steve looked offended then shut up. Two-Bit heard his name then shot a glance over his shoulder then resumed to watch Mickey Mouse. Johnny slowly ate his piece of cake awkwardly then put the place on the table.

"Ya guys, I can't take much more than this. I really don't know what to do anymore. My mom's ignorin' me and my dad beatin' me…" Johnny's voice got softer as he finished, "I think I'm gonna run away." Two-Bit choked on his beer and then joined everyone else with staring at Johnny. Dally just shook his head in disapproval and Pony spoke up, "Ya can't run away. We don't know what we'd do." Steve, Two-Bit, Soda, and Darry shook their head to agree and Dally took a long drag on his cigarette.

"I know but I don't know what I'll do." Johnny said and he started getting all choked up and he sounded as if he was going to start bawling.

"If ya hate your parents so much then move out." Dally said and he sounded like he was getting bored of this conversation.

"I can't, I don't have money or a place to stay." Johnny said with a couple hot tears starting to run down his cheeks. Johnny impatiently rubbed them away before anyone noticed but Ponyboy did notice.

"Aw, don't cry Johnny. I'm sure you can stay here." Pony said looking over at Soda and Darry. Soda was smiling and nodding frantically and Darry looked kind of unsure.

"Aw, come on Darry!" Soda said tugging on Darry's arm like a kid begging for something.

Darry uncomfortably shifted his eyesight to Soda, to Pony, to Johnny and so on. Darry knew everyone would be disappointed if he said no and they did have an extra bedroom so he said, "Ok, on two conditions."

Johnny groaned and then got excited. _I'm finally gonna get a good home! _Johnny thought feeling super ecstatic and tried to keep from smiling. "Ok." Johnny said trying to keep his cool.

"Ok, number one, you'll gonna have to get a job for at least an hour a day." Darry said before pausing and then he finished, "And you will have to go to school. I can get you into classes with Pony so he can help you out." Johnny nodded then smiled. Then Pony grabbed his hand and started leading him out the door.

"Where are we going?" Johnny asked as Pony let go of his hand, "Huh?"

"Well I'm sure ya got stuff ya wanna bring over to our house." Pony said as they headed for Johnny's house.

"Um… yeah but I really don't wanna go inside my house." Johnny said buttoning up his jean jacket.

"Oh, come one! I'll go with ya and I got a switch on me." Pony encouraged him as they opened the door to Johnny's house. Luckily Johnny's parents were drunk and asleep so they managed to sneak upstairs and fill a small suitcase with clothes, a blanket, and some knick-knacks. Then Pony managed to get downstairs and steal like four cans of beer, seven packages of Kools cigarettes, and a couple boxes of cake mix. When they got outside and started heading for Pony's house.

"Oh my god, where'd ya get that stuff from, Ponyboy?" Johnny asked looking at the load of stuff Pony had gotten from the dirty brown house Johnny used to call home.

"I "borrowed" it." Ponyboy said using finger quotes as he carried the brown shopping bag filled with stuff.

"Wow, Ponyboy you are getting' to act like Two-Bit every day," Johnny said as he watched a red headed girl walk by.

"Hey, Johnny look there's Cherry." Pony said as he stopped walking and waved to the girl.

"Do you mean the Soc, Cherry?" Johnny asked nervously wondering if her boyfriend will come and jump them.

"Yeah, Cherry Valance from the movies." Pony said. Johnny kicked a rock with his worn out sneaker.

Then Cherry came over and said, "Hey Pony, hey Johnny." Her red hair was blowing around in the wind and it reminded Johnny of a flag.

"Hey, Cherry." Pony said shivering slightly from the fact he didn't use his head and he forgot his jacket again.

"What's up?" Johnny managed to say, although Pony and him are pretty good friends with Cherry, Johnny is still very shy in front of her. Cherry smiled in approval and said, "Nothing just out for a walk." Cherry's smile warmed Johnny up inside and made him feel like he belongs.

"Cool, we were comin' back from Johnny's place." Pony explained to the gentle red head.

"Why? Do Johnny's parents beat him up or something?" Cherry asked her gentle voice seemed to float in the wind.

"Well, not anymore." Ponyboy replied then looked over at Johnny who was wide eyed and pale at the thought of his abusive parents.

"Why's that." Cherry smiled and in the distance her dark haired friend Marcia was coming to join her.

"Darry said that Johnny could move in with us." Pony looked over and Johnny was silently staring at his feet.

"Well, good for you Johnny," Cherry said, "I gotta go now. See ya around Pony. Bye Johnny!" Pony and Johnny slowly walked back to the house. Pony thought about how he would sue Johnny's parents for what they did to him but he didn't have enough money to. Johnny wondered if he finally found a life where he isn't ignored.

When they got home Darry was sitting on the couch, Soda and Two-Bit were wrestling, Steve was inhaling a piece of chocolate cake, and Dally was sharpening his switchblade. Ponyboy and Johnny walked in and everyone instantly looked over at them to see what they have been up to. Pony just simply rolled his eyes and tossed the brown bag in the middle of the gang after sneaking a pack of cigarettes into his pocket. "Darry, Soda, let's take Johnnycakes to his room!" Soda and Darry came up to Pony and Johnny and led Johnny to a room a little bit past Soda and Ponyboy's room and Darry's room.

Since Johnny already knew where everything else is he didn't need a tour or anything but he still wondered about his parents. Would they miss him, or be furious, or would they even be happy the burden they called a son was out of their lives. As if they would actually notice he's gone though. Soda and Darry left the room after they heard a thunderous boom from the living room and Two-Bit yelled, "I didn't break nothin'!" And since he said he didn't do it that meant he did do it. Ponyboy sat down on the comfy bed and motioned for Johnny to do the same. Johnny sat without hesitation because all he really wanted to do was fit in and not be a pain in the butt.

"Ok… well for starters Darry's gonna holler at ya to do homework and stuff…. Er, and Soda will probably be very talkative and you can always go talk to him 'bout your problems and I'm here to talk and stuff…." When Pony stopped yakking and looked over Johnny was asleep and for once in his life he didn't look the least bit worried. He looked kind of peaceful. Ponyboy noticed Johnny's small bag and placed it on the mahogany dresser. Pony silently walked out to let the sixteen year old who probably hasn't decently slept in years, sleep.

In the living room as Pony had suspected Two-Bit knocked over the coffee table. It lay broken and shattered in what seemed like a million pieces. Mainly because the coffee table is made of mostly glass. Two-Bit looked around for someone to take the blame and eyed up Pony. "It's Pony's fault!"

"How is it my freaking fault!?" Pony more like demanded than asked.

"Cause _you_ were the one who _wasn't_ here to stop _me_."

"You do know you just admitted that you knocked over the table?"

"Oh, yeah I did… I BROKE THE FREAKING TABLE!"

"Yeah and guess who has to pay for it?" Darry broke in his deep voice.

"Killjoy…" Two-Bit muttered under his breath followed with a couple of curse words. Darry must have heard that cause next thing Pony knew Two-Bit was in a headlock.

"What did you say?" Darry demanded

"I said you are the most nice, cool, tuff person I know!" Two-Bit said cause frankly it's better to give Darry what he wants. Darry's kinda big….

"If he's the coolest guy you know what am I?" Dally asked and looked up from his switchblade which he was using to carve stuff into the leg of the broken table.

"I don't know….Peanut butter?" Two-Bit mumbled saying something about y'all is a pain in the….

"Wise…" Dally started to say before Darry cut him off. They all knew where this was heading.

"Not in front of Pone!" Darry motioned to Pony who was still standing there and was starting to get a little bit embarrassed. Pony wasn't a little kid even though everyone else in the gang treated him like that. Everyone except Johnny…and Sodapop. After that let's just say Dally made fun of Two-Bit and Steve until a full on, loud, wrestling match between everyone, except Pony, was going on. It must have been louder than they thought because Two-Bit looked up, smiled, and said, "Hey, Johnny!"

Johnny waved shyly then rubbed his forehead to attempt to get the tiredness off of him. Johnny looked around and wondered what was going on and why was Dally on Two-Bit? And why was everyone staring at him? And why was the table broken? But then Johnny realized thinking questions wouldn't get them answered. Johnny finally blurted out, "What's going on?"

"Well I broke the freaking table, I don't have a beer, Mickey isn't on..." Two-Bit babbled until Dally handed him a beer and smacked him on the head.

"Ok?" Johnny said slowly attempting and failing to look not confused. Dally then just explained, "We were wrestlin' and Two-Bit broke the Fu-freaking table." Darry gave Dally a glare when he started to curse but then he changed the "F" word to freaking.

"Ok, I reckon that kinda makes sense." Johnny muttered under his breath.

"Who wants to go to the Dingo from Cokes? I'm buyin'," Two-Bit said sighing, "It's the least I could do since I-I mean Pony broke your pathetic table."

"What'd I do to deserve this?" Ponyboy mumbled to the ceiling. Johnny walked over to him and stood next to him, fists jammed in pockets, eyes focused on his ratty old shoes. "Hey, Johnnycakes remind me to go buy ya some new sneakers." This surprisingly came from Dally. Dally the tough hood, with no mercy for anyone, offered to buy Johnny the pet new sneakers. Johnny simply nodded his big black eyes not even making contact with Dally whatsoever. Dally smirked at his nervousness around the gang and nodded.

"Ok, so are we goin' to the Dingo fore' I run out of money even though I "borrow" most of the things I need from a store." Two-Bit looked around impatiently and Darry said, "I'm staying here, I gotta clean up this here table."

"Ok, I'll drive." Steve said standing up and leading everyone out to his rusty, old, red pickup. There are only two seats in the car which were already preoccupied by Steve and Soda, so the rest of the gang was sitting down in the bed of the truck. It was a little bit of a tight squeeze but Dally sat on the edge of the bed so it wasn't that bad. The tailgate was open so the boys in the back could sit on it. Dally searched his thick, black, leather jacket for a cigarette. When he found nothing but a lighter and an empty pack he asked Johnny for one, "Gotta cancer stick, Johnnycakes."

Johnny didn't mind the nickname even if it did make him sound weak, but he wasn't weak and the gang knew it. So everybody called him that for kicks. Johnny knew Dally would want more than one cigarette for later so he tossed him the whole pack and he took what he wanted from it. "Anyone else want one?" Dally passed the little white box to Pony, and he passed it to Two-Bit carefully. Two-Bit took one and then gave the pack back to Johnny who carefully tucked the pack in his pocket. They got yelled "Greaser" at them a lot but all the Socs shut up when Two-Bit threw a beer can at blue mustang (most likely a Socs car) and it broke a window.

The Soc who was guessed as the owner of the car scowled and threw the can at Two-Bit but it hit Dally and Dally fell off the bed of the car. Then since the tailgate was open everyone in the back, even Johnny, jumped off the tailgate and the truck stopped to a sudden halt. Soda and Steve came to join them.

"You guys realize you'll have to pay for my car." The Soc said with an expression that seemed kind of serious and that was scary.

"Aw, why? Did daddy run out of money? Are you bout' to become a Grease too?" Two-Bit taunted with a sly smile on his head.

"We will never become a greasy bum, like you greasers." The Soc's friend said motioning to their long hair. Johnny attempted to blow his bangs out of his face but they simply fell back into the place they were before. "Are y'all sayin' if I want fights just pull this big pretty switch I have from my pocket and I got a fight?"

"Are you saying you want a fight? Cause I can make that happen pretty quick." The Soc said taking a quick swig from his metal canteen thing of some kind of alcoholic beverage.

Johnny made a small choking noise in his throat and got pale. Ponyboy must have noticed that because he smiled reassuringly toward his timid best friend. Johnny's eyes looked different than usual. They didn't look shy they looked scared. That's when it hit Pony. His parents were walking out of a store looking their way. Johnny pulled his jacket up to shield his face a little but it was too late. His parents have already spotted him and were walking towards him their faces red with anger.

"Where have you been you little brat!?" It broke Pony's heart to see Johnny's old man treat his best friend like trash.

"Uh… Um… With…. Ponyyyboyyy…" Johnny was shaking and he tensed up for the blow that was sure to follow.

"Ponyboy? What the heck is a Ponyboy?" His dad demanded while his mother stood there smiling with pleasure.

"I'm a Ponyboy." Pony responded deciding to stand up for his friend after the many times he had helped him in a fight or argument.

"Your parents must have been insane to name a kid Ponyboy." Mrs. Cade mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear.

"No your insane for not loving Johnny. You beat him and yell at him every day and you don't even notice how smart, tough, and cool he is to deal with your fat butts every day!" Pony snapped and the only thing everyone could do is stare. Except the Socs who all got back into their blue mustang and drove away. Johnny looked nervous and Pony walked over to Johnny and put a protective arm around his shoulders and then Dally said, "And you are lucky you are Johnnycake's parents cause if you weren't we would've beat your fat-" Everyone knew where this was going so Two-Bit covered Pony's ears knowing what Darry would do if Pony heard them cursing.

Pony didn't know what they were saying so he filled in some of the words. "—Butts! You are some lazy bums of people! You are freakin' embarrassment to freakin' embarrassments to people! Like Two-Bit!" When Two-Bit let go he punched Dally's arm playfully. "Well, if we are such bad people we won't feel bad about punching you in the face!" Johnny's old man said. And when he saw Johnny turn away he punched Johnny in the back and Johnny was knocked out cold. Dally punched Dally in the head and the cops showed up just as Johnny's parents started to beat up the gang. It didn't hurt them but Johnny's parents were arrested for child abuse and drunk driving.

Once Johnny' parents were in the cop car Darry stopped by. Apparently Darry had called the cops for drunk driving because they kept running into mailboxes. When the cops saw Johnny's parents beat him and his friends up hat was a bit of a bonus. The policeman asked Darry some questions about Jonny and his living environment.

"Was he fed at all?" The cop asked writing notes in a notebook .

"Usually it depended if his folks were drunk. If they were they would blame something on him beat him, then sentence him to no food. Nobody ever cooked, so if Johnny wanted food he would come to our house, or he would sneak a sandwich and some water." Darry explained seriously keeping an eye on Pony who was making sure Johnny is ok.

"How bad did they beat him?" The cop looked up for a second at Johnny and continued to write.

"Pretty bad he usually came to our house after a beating with a black eye, new bruises, cuts from bottles, and even gashes and broken bones." Darry replied.

"Why do you keep saying "our house"?" the cop asked curiously.

"I live in a house with my brothers Sodapop and Ponyboy. Our parents died a couple of months ago and we get to stay together as long as we stay out of trouble. I am their legal guardian and I will do whatever it takes to keep them and the gang safe." Darry explained sounding slightly sad when he told the fuzz about his parents. His dad and him were very close.

"Do you mind having Johnny live with you?" The cop asked and when Darry looked shocked he smiled a little.

"Of course. I treat the gang like they are family." Darry said with a slight smile on his face.

"Ok, I'll escort you and your "gang" to the courthouse to get everything settled.

"Ok," Darry said to the cop then turned to talk to the gang, "We are going with this nice cop and we are going to court. Get into Steve's truck!" Everyone looked a little scared and Darry managed to look scared too so he wouldn't ruin the surprise. Darry managed to squeeze into the back of the truck sitting on the edge of the truck bed with Dally sitting across from him. Dally looked suspicious like he knew what Darry was up to but didn't say anything. He just sat there with a cigarette hanging from his lips.

When they got to the courthouse Johnny looked pale and nervous, Darry confident, and Ponyboy and Soda confused. The rest of the gang was allowed to come into the room with them.

"Ok, what brings you to my courthouse?" the judge said then she saw Dally and asked, "Oh my god! What did you do now Dallas Winston?"

"Surprisingly nothing." Dallas replied with a smirk.

"We were sent here by the police, for me to gain custody of Johnny Cade." Darry replied ignoring Dally's reply.

"Oh yes, Jonathan Cade." The judge said pulling out his profile. "No record with cops, abusive parents that were just arrested…. 16 years old, takes longer to learn stuff, sweet but shy and jumpy, jet black hair, tan skin, black eyes," Johnny was looking at the floor and the judge banged her dark brown gavel with the gold handle and Johnny jumped at least five feet in the air. "Jumpy is right…." The judge mumbled. "Ok, everything seems to be in order…. First of all, Jonathan Cade do you want to live in the custody of Darrel Shayne Curtis?"

"Yes…" Johnny mumbled this but the judge just smiled and said, "Wow, his profile is very accurate."

"Darrel Shayne Curtis, will you treat Jonathan Cade…" The judge started before Johnny interrupted shyly, "Johnny…." The judge shot him a look and continued, "… like you treat your brothers Sodapop Patrick Curtis and Ponyboy Michael Curtis?"

"Yes." It was a solid answer, and it didn't have much emotion in it.

"Ok, now Darry you must go and fill out this form in the other room and everyone may be dismissed." The judge banged her gavel to dismiss them which sounded just like thunder causing Johnny to jump again. But this time he fell. Of course Ponyboy was right there to help him up. Cause that's what friends are for, right? When Darry went into a different room to fill out a couple forms to gain custody of Johnny as a legal guardian everyone else went into a waiting room type room.

Two-Bit was looking at some kind of weird magazine with a ton of blonds in it, Dally was smoking and cutting up a police magazine with his switchblade (God knows why), Ponyboy and Johnny sat talking, and Steve and Soda were wrestling on the hard stone floor despite Pony's warnings of cracking their heads open.

"I hate all this legal sh…." Dally started but then Two-Bit elbowed him and nodded his head toward Pony. So Dally finished the sentence without swearing, "Stuff…."

"Dally I'm gonna have to take you to counselin' about your swearin' problem. Everybody else can do without swearin' in front of Soda's kid brother." Steve said as he twisted Soda's arm behind his back.

"Shut your trap!" Dally snapped as he cut off the head of a policeman in the magazine. "Head be gone!"

"Hey Johnnycake!" Two-Bit shouted until he got Johnny's attention. "You seemed awfully nervous in front of the judge today. What's eatin' ya kid?" Johnny shrugged and continued to talk with Ponyboy about living with Darry, Soda, and him.

"So we can't stay out past midnight usually or Darry'll get mad?" Johnny restated trying to figure most of the stuff he'll need to know out.

"Exactly. Also even though Soda's um… colorful meals look nonedible they really are." Pony stated loud enough for Soda to hear.

"Hey, if you cooked you would burn the house down. At least when I cook we will still have a house so far….." Soda said playfully as him and Steve decided to stop wrestling and sit down.

"Yeah," Pony laughed, "I would." Then Darry came out with a small bag and Soda asked, "Hey, Dare what's in the bag?"

"Child support money," Darry replied then added, "Ok, let's all go home and have a chocolate cake." Everyone started laughing and talking and walking toward Steve's car. Everyone but Johnny. Pony was waiting for everybody else to go and Johnny didn't so he said, "Come on Johnny, let's go home."

Home. The word warmed Johnny up inside and out like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. Johnny pinched himself to see if it was a dream. He felt nothing but a little pain and a good feeling. No it wasn't a dream. He really had a home. He really had a family that cared about him. He would never have to sleep in the lot, or stay at one of the gang's house and feel like a burden. He would never have to wake up to screaming and yelling, followed by a beating when he had done nothing wrong. He finally had a home and for once in his life he actually felt safe. So as he followed his best friend Ponyboy, he knew he was following him into a new beginning to a new life.


End file.
